Baked Tilapia Lemon Butter (Printer-friendly)

Tender baked tilapia finished with a velvety lemon butter sauce, brightened by fresh garlic and parsley.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (about 5 oz each)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Fresh parsley leaves

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold fillets in a single layer.
02 - Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with olive oil, then season evenly with salt and black pepper.
03 - Place seasoned fillets in prepared baking dish, ensuring they do not overlap.
04 - In small bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and minced garlic until fully combined.
05 - Drizzle lemon butter sauce evenly over fillets. Bake 15-18 minutes until fish flakes easily with fork and is opaque throughout.
06 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a nice restaurant
  • The sauce works on literally any white fish so its a recipe youll actually use
02 -
  • Overcooking happens faster than you expect check at 15 minutes even if it seems too soon
  • Let the fish rest for about 2 minutes after baking it helps keep everything juicy
03 -
  • Use fresh lemon juice only the bottled stuff makes the sauce taste flat and sharp
  • Room temperature butter melts more evenly than cold butter straight from the fridge

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